Monday, December 21, 2015

Neighboring Lands in the Pellucid Kingdoms

Neighboring
Lands in the Pellucid Region:

There are several locations in or near the region of Mercurios
proper that bear mentioning.

Varkal

Located in the
northern-most lands of the old Pellucid empire, this city once belonged to the
ancient empire, and was even founded by its greatest ancient general,
Alvenadras. It is a cross mixing of Pellucids and Nubirions.

The current city-state is
independent, and very powerful in the region, seeking tribute from many local
tribes and polities. It is ruled by King Trabalas Garuh, the True born
King (said to be a direct descendant of Alvenadras). His wife is the
half-Varkalite Skimian Trianay, step mother to his true born daughter Cyria
Nystor (a blood mage), and Prince Sabalen Shiantal-Nystor (also of
the former true queen, Alia). He has a second wife, concubine Alsia
Nariamal, and a third, Cyriana, a true Nubiri woman. He has 13
daughters and 11 sons to these wives and his dead wife, but none are considered
true born.

The Chancellor of the
State is Kurdon Osho, a Nubiri blood mage and taciturn economist. He is
very shrewd in dealing with foreign interests. The city’s master at arms is
Luranges, a great warrior of true Varkal descent, dedicated to the ancient
martial arts of the Nubiri. The wizened advisor to the king is Krios the
Bald, a Correnstalian who has been exiled from his own realm but impressed
the king in his youth with skill and tenacity.

The General of the
Armies is Pur Gan, a Nubiri of the eastern tribes who was conquered in
warfare years ago by the King and swore undying fealty to him. He has fought
many skirmishes to keep the peace of the Varkal lands.

A popular hangout in the city is the Wry Spriggan, owned
and operated by a Varkal native named Tulboso, who caters to the wealthy
foreign merchants. The spriggan is named after a specific fey creature, which
Tulboso allegedly bartered with for his wealth and fame, all in exchange for
his first born daughter!

The Dreamwood and the Dryssyrian Mountains

A mystical woodland,
running amidst the great mountainous ranges of the Dryssyrian Mountains,
the Dreamwood and mountains contain many interesting things, including:

The Stonebiter tribes,
a loose association of ogres and ettins who are ruled by the giant lord
Gagranor, father of Lady Poe’s only bastard son, Grigos, who dwells
in the mountains with his father. They are sworn to allegiance with Poe.

The elvish tribes of the Xernethian
elves. Ancient elfin kin, far removed from fey lands over time and memory,
they dwell as simple nomadic hunters and gatherers, but skilled with what they
know. They are good at defense, and war with the Stonebiters, Kraggits, and
other foes of the mountains.

Somewhere in the woods is
Castle Halyk, the cursed domain of Lord Sytos Halyk, who is lady Poe’s
cursed ex-husband, trapped in undeath by her magic. He dwells forever more in
shadowy limbo, and only on the nights of the new moon do he and his entourage
of shadow minions arise to mock life.

Near Halyk’s castle is said to be a great lake, and along its
waters the ancient elvish barrow lands. Long before the elves entered
into the portal of the lake to another Fey realm, they buried their mortally
killed here, in the ancient haunted barrows. The last avatar of the Aquarius
stone was buried here.

Somewhere north of all that is the tomb of Iron Madragor,
the first of the Iron Kings of Mercurios. It is a haunted, dangerous domain,
said to be braved only by the ogres and the foolhardy.

Kraggit Orcs as Characters

Kraggit orcs (old sp.
Kraggit) are the strongest overall force in the mountain lands, but are
incapable of uniting to become a force of power. The Kraggits will raid and
make small wars with all neighbors, however, and so are despised and hunted in
most lands. Nonetheless, many Kraggits are known to raid human lands in
Mercurios and the Yellow Kingdoms, as well as Kasdalan, and half orc children
in this region tend to come from the product of such deeds. Kasdalanians value
half orc children; they are often brought in to the elite legions of Lady Poe's
armies. In Mercurios, they are usually slain or raised in orphanages managed by
the priests of Laddaskar, then forced to join the king’s armies when they come
of age.

Use the template for player character orcs in the DMG for Kraggit
orcs.

Brutish: Kraggit orcs and half orcs
suffer serious Diplomacy and bluff penalties (disadvantage) when dealing with people in
the Pellucid kingdoms and the Yellow Kingdoms (unless they are intimidating
someone.)

Languages: Kraggit Orcs start with
the Kraggit tongue, and may also learn one more of: Masirian, Ogreish,
Tradespeak, Dragosian, Correnstallian, Goblinoid, Ogreish, or Minotaur.

Half Orcs: Rare Xernethian Half Orcs
(half elf, half orc) are possible; Xernethian women who are taken by orcs will
give birth and then abandon the half orc child at the doorstep of a human
settlement, or accept exile from her clan and raise it herself. Such orcs may
replace one orcish trait with one elvish trait.

The important thing is that in a million years, when the brain-worms of Arcturus IX have annihilated us throughout the galaxy, there will be no surviving recordings of blogs to be found by the cephalopods that evolve to replace us. In this way will their civilization advance and prosper.